Medical personnel must combine anatomic knowledge with practical motor skills to perform surgical and other invasive procedures. Although a knowledge of anatomy is essential to perform a surgical procedure, that anatomic knowledge must be combined with motor skills that are best learned by practice and repetition. Surgeons in the past generally learned to perform surgery almost exclusively by practicing techniques under the guidance of a more experienced surgeon. Such personal instruction has been supplemented in recent years by the development of surgical simulators that allow medical personnel to practice surgical techniques without the risk and potential morbidity associated with practicing such techniques on live patients or animals.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,780,016 discloses a human surgical training device that includes an anatomically correct model of the human thorax and neck. The model is made of an elastomeric material that mimics layers of skin, subcutaneous fat, muscle layers and peritoneum. Simulated organs are placed within the cavity formed by the elastomeric material and simulated body fluids are contained within the organs and body cavity. Procedures such as peritoneal lavage, chest tube insertion, pericardiocentesis and cricothyroidotomy can be practiced on the training device.
Another training device is disclosed in US 2012/0015337, in which an artificial body wall is made of multiple layers of silicone rubber that mimic the epidermis-dermis layers. One of the layers contains artificial blood vessels that simulate bleeding when a student makes a practice incision in it. US 2012/0015339 discloses a simulated organ, such as a liver or spleen, that is formed of platinum cured room temperature vulcanization silicone rubber that provides a substrate that can be incised and sutured by a student practicing the technique. U.S. Patent Publication No. 2009/5 0226868 describes a surgical or endoscopic practice model of an elongated organ such as the intestines in which an inner elastomeric lumen is surrounded by a surrounding outer elastomeric lumen that contains a fluid to mimic natural anatomic pressures on the inner lumen.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,866,983 discloses a simulator for teaching surgical techniques. The simulator is a cassette of organs, blood vessels and tissues, such as those found in the female reproductive tract. A programmable computer-implemented hemodynamic simulator moves pressurized fluid through simulated arteries and veins in the cassette. The simulator is programmed to provide variable pulse and blood pressure rates.
A variety of training devices have been developed for practicing gynecologic and obstetric procedures and surgeries. For example, U.S. Patent Publication No. 2007/0172804 describes a maternal/fetal birth simulator having a rotatable pelvis, articulated legs, and a deformable covering that simulates the feel of the skin and underlying tissues. A hydraulic uterine propulsive system also simulates the birth of a fetus through a simulated birth canal of the device. WO 03/041034 discloses an interactive, computerized simulator to train students to deliver babies. Computer simulated contractions of an elastomeric flexible uterus simulator push a model of a fetus from the uterus and through an artificial vaginal canal seated in a model of the pelvis. U.S. Pat. No. 5,318,448 discloses transparent generally cylindrical tubing hingedly attached to a rigid platform. The tubing simulates the vaginal canal of a patient such that a speculum or other gynecological instrument may be inserted through the tubing to practice gynecologic procedures.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,553,159 discloses an abdominopelvic surgical training model that is particularly adapted for training surgeons such as urologists in the treatment of stress urinary incontinence with a urethral sling procedure. A mass of elastomeric material encases a skeletal frame of the pelvis to provide simulated layers of pliant, elastic and penetrable elastomers that have a realistic density and consistency. U.S. Pat. No. 5,472,345 discloses a gynecological simulator for training medical personnel. The simulator incorporates a flexible vagina having a proximal end fixed to the body and a distal end attached to a securely retained cervix and rotatable uterus with fallopian tubes. Artificial skin encases the simulator and can be incised to permit simulated laparoscopy or mini-laparotomy to be performed. U.S. Patent Publication No. 2011/0269109 discloses a three-dimensional open-top model of the pelvis and its internal anatomy that is mounted on a spindle for rotation around a horizontal axis.
Many of these devices are complex and expensive, which makes them less suitable for educational purposes. They also lack structural features that provide tactile realism or otherwise make them suitable as a substrate to practice suturing. Similarly they lack structural features that enable them to be incised and sutured at multiple locations on a simulated uterus, or to be re-used in an economical manner. Many prior devices also lack the portability and stability that would be useful in a surgical training device to be used in an educational setting.
It is therefore an object of the present disclosure to provide a simulation training device that has the potential to overcome one or more of such problems.